All posts in category mercury

Mercury and Venus are travelling together in the sign of Sagittarius until about the 16th December. This unusually long conjunction is due to Mercury slowing down while about to go turn retrograde in motion. A good time to back up all those information holding devices like computers, cameras. While now may not be the best time to sign contracts, buy computers, cameras or any electrical equipment, it is a good time to smooth over long standing problems, tidy up old paperwork or chores that have been left, find more organisation in our lives and in our minds. Mercury/Venus together in harmony is the energy of the diplomat – its a good time to negotiate a fair deal that takes account of all sides involved.

Sagittarius is the sign of the adventurer, this sign loves to dive into the freedom of exploration without thinking too much about the details. This Mercury retrograde period may encourage us to tackle those things that have been put aside for a rainy day. Maybe time to encounter and tidy up that pile of paperwork that has been sitting patiently in the corner. Tying up loose ends at this time frees us up to explore our playful spirit of adventure and broaden our horizons, whether that is through literal travel, study or exploring our philosophy.

New Moon in Scorpio! There is an instinctual depth to this phase and this new Moon as we are able to tune into our inner truth. With so many planets in Scorpio (Venus/Mercury/Juno as well as Sun/Moon), as well as Moon sextile Pluto, trine Chiron, the energy of transformation, healing and renewal is opening up to us. We have a potent opportunity to bring integration and healing to issues that may be left over and hidden beneath the surface of our awareness. A chance to truly feel alive as a deeping sense of self understanding is possible.

Pluto, also known as Hades, the ruler of Scorpio wants us to be completely honest, primarily with ourselves. Truth is not always beautiful, harmonious or in line with what we expect. With Pluto, we are able to go deeper, looking into our motivations and maybe understanding ourselves a bit better – discovering our inner truth. When we take the journey into Hades’ world of transformation, renewal and re-birth, we need to be completely naked, metaphorically, releasing all pretence, self-deceptions, harmful situations or people, false hopes – releasing all the things we may carry that may not be the best for our soul’s evolution. During Pluto transits, situations and people may be released from our lives, either through our own will or from outside influences. These people or situations may be harmful to us, no longer in tune with our path, we may have completed our karmic lessons in this lifetime with them. We may find a need to release a vision or dream that, at this time, is not able to manifest. With Pluto releases, the release can help us to truly confront ourselves, completely naked and in a sense, feeling the truth of the soul. From here, re-birth gradually develops as a new chapter now has the space to enter our lives.

Venus/Mercury are also in a challenging square to Mars, bringing focus on finding common ground between the masculine drive for invidual expression and the feminine sensual needs. Venus and Mercury in Scorpio, or in aspect with Pluto, can lead to a fear of loss as well as a need to journey to the utter truth of a matter, past and beyond anything superficial. With all the Scorpio energy, this aspect can lead to intense feelings, iniative to take action, passion or arguments depending on how we express the energies, as we seek to resolve differences and be in tune with the truth of our heart and soul.

Pluto, or Hades, the energy of transformation/re-birth is sometimes feared, a bit like death, the ultimate transformation, is feared. I find it interesting, in scientific terms viewing the demotion of Pluto to a dwarf planet, could this metaphorically represent our unconscious fear of death and change? The energy of Pluto does however bring with it release, transformation, and re-birth and enables us to be completely honest and true to ourselves. The process is so symbolic of a caterpillar emerging from a crysalis into a beautiful butterfly. The process of release gives us the chance to choose how to release as well, either painfully or with love, it is up to us how we choose to go through the process. Coming through a Plutonian transit, or lunar phaes, enables us to ultimatly get in touch and feel our hearts and souls – one of the most empowering things we can do for ourselves.

There is a certain intensity today and over the next month with a lot of Scorpionic energies in the air! Relationships and communications take on a deeper tone as we get closer to our truth and understanding ourselves and each other. Words and thoughts have an impact, intuition is hightened. Venus and Mercury both in Scorpio forming a sextile to Pluto in Capricorn – double Pluto whammy over the next few days!

It is possible to bring the knowledge from the unconscious or the intuition into a workable form with the ruler of Scorpio in grounded Capricorn. It is a great aspect for seeing and sensing what really matters to us and great for helping sift out and releasing the things that are not intended for us on our journeys. With Pluto, letting go brings inner cleansing and strength as the door is opened for new opportunities organically enter.

I liken Pluto quite a lot to the yoga that I teach, I often say ‘let go’ while holding a yoga posture as we all hold onto so much in the mind which stiffens up the body. Letting go helps the body release inbuild tensions, helping it to open up and become more fluid in the postures. The same applies for life, when we let go, we allow the Universe to bring what is naturally for our highest good.

It’s interesting that both Venus and Mercury passed through, by trine, the healing hands of Chiron before their journey through Scorpio. It feels almost like an initiation and cleansing of the wounds just prior to the detoxifying and transforming journey through Scorpio, to emerge at the other end like a phoenix.

Serious communications and thoughts take precedence today as Mercury sits in-between Sun and Saturn in Libra. Balance, harmony, love, beauty and fair relations with each other could be the subject of thoughts and communications. There could be a challenge to find this harmony within ourselves primarily as Moon squares Mercury/Saturn, to touch upon our innermost needs and see how to bring ourselves inner happiness and security. We are challenged to work towards inner health and happiness in these times, its no lying down task, it requires our complete and loving attention and belief in our evolution.

Cool, objective, inspired and instinctive logic combined with fairness can help us tackle the challenges that come up at this time, seeing and acknowledging all views as Moon conjuncts Pallas Athene, the Goddess asteroid. These could be outer views, or the inner voices that sometimes challenge each other in our minds and hearts. Viewing objectively helps us gain clarity and understanding. A need to creatively collaborate with others, working together actively, exchanging ideas and bringing ideas into manifest form can then naturally start to happen as each contributes their own unique ideas.

The 5 of wands came out of my tarot deck again as I focus on this astro aspect, bringing to mind that we each have a special gift to give to the world, we all work together in this society and each society. We may appear as solitary individuals, which we are, but we are also all connected with each other in so many different ways. This is a wonderful connection, a life force, that keeps us vibrant and keeps us as a whole, going, growing and evolving.

Mercury is forming a grand trine with Jupiter and Pluto in the earth element now, its not exact but strong enough to have an effect – thoughts, ideas and communications all have the benefit of Pluto’s depth and truth seeking and Jupiter’s wisdom and optimistic expansion. Moon today brings a Uranian energy joining the grand trine through a square to Pluto while conjunct Uranus which can reveal a need to make any necessary changes to outworn ways of doing things.

Thoughts and communications have a certain depth and ability to penetrate to the truth past all surface periphery, while some gentle guidance along this path comes from Jupiter inspiring wisdom, faith and self-belief. It may become clear what works for us, what doesn’t and why. The Mercury/Pluto aspect is a bit of a detective and with wise old Jupiter along side, no stone can be left unturned in the search for the truth behind the motivation; great for analysis, detective work, accounting, anything that you can put your mind to with the intention of seeing it through to the end. It is good for seeing to our own truth, it can be a great aspect to see if we have been deceiving ourselves about something in our lives, then releasing this with an energy of love/faith/trust/acceptance. It can help us to see the truth in situations around us as we find it in ourselves.

Uncannily, I drew the tarot card Death as I meditate on this astro aspect. The ruler of this card, Pluto, is also stationing direct as we speak at 4,53 Capricorn. This gives him a potency, more than he already has! It looks like it is time to make the changes in our lives that may have been brewing in the mind since April this year when Pluto turned retrograde. Pluto rules transformation, release, power and empowerment in its higher manifestation, in its lower it rules manipulation, domination and secrecy.

It could be a time to transform an area of your life that you’ve been thinking of for sometime, it could be a time to move on and release something or someone that has been harmful in some way in your life. Pluto, I feel can be associated with an alchemist in his work with the unconscious. The energy of the planet has the ability to see into the unconscious in it’s rawest and basest forms, pure truth with no holes barred and through seeing the root of our motivations with acceptance, understanding, patience and love, we are able to gain greater self understanding and self empowerment, turning a previous area of darkness into pure gold. Look to where Pluto sits in your natal chart, when he is transiting and the house he rules plus aspects he makes to see where these changes can now be brought into the light of day.

Moon in a harmonious trine to Venus today while heading towards opposition to firey Mars. A few different things going on – first, Moon joins Venus which may help tensions and stresses for those few hours, however straight after, Moon opposes Mars but there is strong mutual reception, followed by Moon quincunx Mercury. Tensions may rise, emotions may become heated as we try to find ways to express what we are feeling inside. The mutual reception may make it easier to resolve any volatile energies that arise.

The Moon also joins the Pallas/Ceres to Mercury yod, highlighting nurturance and awareness of the natural cycles of nature and of ourselves, how we look after ourselves and how we pay attention to our inner wisdom that is part of our divine natures – we all have this pure wisdom which connects us with the world around us. Situations now may be helping us to discover our own needs.

I looked at the final depositor of these planets and it all comes down to Sun and Mercury – the answer may be in finding ways to express our inner creativity, finding ways to shine, looking at our health and habits and how our self expression can affect the health. If self expression is blocked, health is more likely to suffer as the soul needs to breathe and be the best it is meant to be, which is perfect just as it is.

A yod being formed now from Ceres sextile Pallas Athene, both pointing towards Mercury in Leo. Ceres is the nurturer and rules the cycles of nature, while Pallas represents divine feminine wisdom, Mercury is our thought process and communications/messages/movements. This subtle energy brings awareness to balance in our lives, balancing the way we nurture ourselves, bringing us back in touch with the cycles of nature, helping us listen to the inner voice and needs of the body, needs of the soul. The Mercury opposition to retrograde Neptune may help to internalise the lessons of the Goddesses.

Drawing a card from the Zen deck, ‘Postponement’ shows the person looking from a black and while frame at a colourful and luscious countryside. We mustn’t postpone loving and caring for ourselves, being fair and patient towards ourselves. A busy work life can so easily take us away from ourselves while we loose touch with nature and our own inner cycles and the inner needs of the body. Now is the perfect time to listen to the inner voice, rest if its needed, have fun if there has been too much work, walk in the park or countryside and absorb the energy and sounds of nature, sit in stillness in meditation or contemplation, make a delicious and healthful meal and celebrate it’s goodness.

Lots of things happening this August week as firstly Venus is cazimi Sun today from 9am (GMT) until Wednesday midday, 22 to 24 degree Leo, while on Tuesday Mercury joins in until Wedesday 4am. This means the planets will be within 17 arc minutes from a conjunction with the Sun – being in the ‘heart of the king’, enthused and empowered with the energy of the Sun, adding and enhancing the energies of both Venus and Mercury. Venus rules romance, love, relationships, money, values, diplomacy, harmony, she wants to make life as easy and pleasant as possible and for everyone to be happy. Mercury rules communications, journeys, travel. Bold statements and expressions very possible now with the ability to really make a statement. This could range from an amazing declaration of love to bold discussions about money, either one is likely to flow more easily now. There can be bold demonstrations of love, wealth, glamour, feeling generally confident about oneself while the power of communication is greatly enhanced. It may be easier to create something beautiful and bold, to stand out and shine in the area that Venus and Mercury rules in your chart. A wonderful time to make amends with the past also, as Mercury is still retrograde, to ensure a more balanced present which continues to a positive future.

This also occurs as Mars approaches conjunction with the July solar eclipse degree (9 degree Cancer). That solar eclipse was also in square to transiting Saturn, indicating some work to be done in order to achieve results. Transiting Mars was in sextile to Saturn, maybe helping out a bit in that eclipse formation bringing the motivation necessary to do with Saturnian work. However, transiting Lilith was also opposing the Saturn, maybe bringing about a karmic meeting of some form. And finally but no way least, that eclipse was also opposed to transiting Pluto (empowerment, transformation) and trine to Chiron (spiritual warrior, healer, teacher), giving the potential for deep, spiritual healing and integration of unconsious paterns. Quite a busy eclipse that one was, now with Mars coming to trigger it all off at the same time as the Venus/Mercury cazimi in Leo.

This could mean that the areas in the natal chart ruled by Venus and Mercury, as well as their natal placement, could be ‘shining’ and out on show right now, especially where the transiting Venus/Sun/Mercury is aspecting. New projects could be given extra stimuli, enhanced and elevated, also depending on where the eclipse fell in the natal chart, the planets it aspected and the aspects made from the transiting planets. Lots happening this week as certain areas start to open up, the foggyness of the Mercury/Neptune opposition hopefully is also fading, bringing more clarity.

(the pink picture is a mandala of the pattern that Venus makes at each conjunction of the Sun viewed from Earth)

Mercury cazimi coming up on Sunday, exact at 21,39 degrees Gemini, 23.29pm GMT. Mercury is in his home sign where he is happiest, doing what he does best – communicating, forumulating and transfering ideas, messages, lots of movement in the local neighbourhood. This air sign rules the intellect, speech, words, thoughts, airplanes, transport and travel, all things airy.

The cazimi period starts when Mercury enters 17 arc minutes from exact conjunction with the Sun (known as being in the heart of the Sun). This commences at 18.00 GMT on the 12th and finishes at 05.10 GMT on 13th. During this time, Mercury is given a boost from the energy of the Sun, amplifing and improving all things Mercurial. Even more so as Mercury is in his own domain. This is a wonderful time to start a writing project, communicate with someone, talk things through,studying astrology, doing some homework, fixing the computer or even building a new one!

Maybe this cazimi, carrying on the Gemini energy of the previous solar eclipse, will help ease any of the tensions that could have been brought up by yesterday’s quarter Moon! It certainly will be a period of clarity.

This transit looks like a bit of relief from the building tensions of the outer planets. The Sabian Symbol for the cazimi degree, “DANCING COUPLES CROWD THE BARN IN A HARVEST FESTIVAL”. This has a feeling of celebration to it, people getting together happily with each other, celebrating life! Mercury loves to transfer information, if he was someone at a party, that would be the person that manages to talk to every single person at the party. Of the element of Air, being tied down or confined is not an option for a happy Gemini. We may feel the urge to just get out and about during Sunday’s cazimi, meeting up with people in the locale, sharing stories. You never know what you may discover while out and about!

﻿Mercury cazimi occurs on 19th Dec from 22.10 until 04.00 on 20th Dec (GMT) and also on 25th Feb 2011 from 5.50am until 5.00pm (GMT), which means that Mercury is within 17 arc minutes of conjunction with the Sun for about 6 hours today. This aspect is also known as being in ‘the heart of the Sun, or in the heart of the King’. During this time, the Sun enthuses Mercury with its r…oyal and powerful energy which intensifies the communicative quality of Mercury – this makes these few hours perfect times for composing any piece of writing, communicating to someone, writing an essay.

Mercury at this time is also retrograde and in the sign of it’s detriment which means for the next few weeks our intentions may be misinterpreted by each other, things may be misunderstood, but for the hours of the cazimi tonight Mercury is given an extra boost by the Sun. Perhaps a good time to clarify any previous misunderstandings, or making adjustments to any written work or even website work. It could also be a great time for reading through contracts and checking the small print while the Sun lends his Kingly rays to the Messenger God.

Pluto = Mars/Mercury today, meaning Pluto is exactly inbetween Mars and Mercury, all tightly conjunct in early Capricorn, with the north lunar node there too. Pluto brings an intensity and deep transformative power to the assertive and sometimes warlike energy of Mars, as well as the communicative and restless energy of Mercury. Alth…ough Mercury is also starting its retrograde journey back into Sag for much of December.

So, we could find our conversations have a mixture of elements depending on how we handle the powerful combination of Pluto and Martian energies. Pluto = force, intensity, power, re-birth, healing and transformation. Mars = assertiveness, war, action, arguments. Mars and Pluto also both rule sex. Communications could be transformative and healing, with a need to get to the bottom of things that stemmed from the past perhaps (Mercury going backwards), or to re-visit old dramas with a view to transforming the previous battles into healing experiences. They could also be sexual in nature with Mercury initiating evocative whisperings and conversations. Or, if these energies are mis-handled, we could find ourselves in a mental battle or power struggle with another. One might want to force their will onto another through verbal communications.

It depends on how we handle the intense mental probing that this conjunction can bring. If we prefer to keep things private, under wraps or are not ready to face what lies within, then the energy can feel malefic (which is what Mars and Pluto are considered to be). It helps to go with the flow of whatever comes up and allow it to process naturally and with love and patience.